Grief and Loss

Our losses bring pain and disruption to our lives. No matter our specific loss, we share a common journey with others who suffer a journey of grief. Like a fog, we cannot fight it, change it, or remove it. We simply move through it one step at a time.

Others may share similar losses, but our grief is uniquely ours given our life situation and our relationships. The days are hard, the pain is deep, and the work is difficult.

The silence and loneliness we feel is deafening. Thoughts, emotions, and memories race through our minds and hearts. Time is distorted and seems suspended. We move and feel in slow motion. We are overwhelmed. People encourage us to move on, yet sometimes we feel paralyzed.

People are well meaning, but we cannot be fixed. Life is different. We cannot be returned to our pre-grief life. We wear the face of grief for this season of our life. We sob. We hurt. We cry out. We are silent. We feel confused. We feel alone. We grieve. We mourn our loss.

Grief comes in waves like the ocean – under us, around us, and over us. At times, the waves are so intense we lose our footing and are carried by the water around us. In our turmoil, reaching out to others may feel impossible. We turn inward and try to survive.

After the flurry of overwhelming activity surrounding our initial loss, the loneliness we feel is like a new tidal wave. We feel alone and do not know what to do. There is no single, correct way to grieve. Sharing with others who know the face of grief can be helpful. Some quotations and words of comfort are provided in this conversation guide when you are ready for them.

We hope these twelve conversations for grief and loss facilitate your journey and connect you with kindred spirits in healing broken hearts.